Golf-club shaft



W. F. REACH GOLF CLUB SHAFT F'iled July 27. 1927 connected to the shaft by sleeve.

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Patented Oct. 4, 1927.

UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM @a BROS., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

F. REACH, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO A. G. SPALDING A COBIORATION- OF NEW JERSEY.

(EtOLF-CLUBA SHAFT.

Application illed July' 27, 1927. Serial No. 208,822.

My present invention relates to improve- .ments in golf club shafts', such as disclosed inl Letters Patent of the United States :#1,626,967 granted MayB, 1927, in which a metal shaft is used having a hand grip sleeve of relatively firm material united or anv interposed member of elastic material having an inherent quality of returning of initial condition after distortion.

`My said invention aims to provide a construction which will be economical of manufacture, and assembly; and will be strong and durable 'and eflicient in use.

The invention further aims to provide a construction which enables clubs having varying degrees of torsional resiliency to be `assembled from uniform shafts and sleeves.

With these several objects in view the invention includes the novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts vhereinafter described.

What I at present regard as the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings7 in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the hand grasp end of a shaft, and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections on lines 2--2, 3-3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1 respectively.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing a modiication.

In this drawing, the the shaft of tubular steel, representative: of the customary type of steel shaft for both wood and iron clubs. -Y

2 designates a hand gasp sleeve encircling the upper end of the club and formed of a comparatively hard or firm material, preferably duralumin, said sleeve having an inside diameter somewhat larger than the eX- ternal diameter of the shaft. 3 designates a steel plug having abody portion adaptedto t snugly into the end' of the sleeve 2 to which it is rigidly secured, after assembly, by meansy such as transverse pin 4 .passing through alining openings inthe plug an The plug* upon which is secured a sleeve or u shing 5 of rubber or other analogous material capable of automatically returning to initial position after distortion. The external diameter ofthe bushing is. such that when O numeral 1 designates has a reduced end ortion 3" the sleeve is forced firmly into the end of the shaft it willl fit firmly therein. The ferrule 5 may be secured to both the plug and shaft by cement or analo ous means.

Preferably the ferrule is molded or vulcanized on the plug. i

6 designates a relatively thin ferrule of rubber or the like used principally as a point Aso of bearing for'the forward end of the sleeve 2, which ferrule may also be secured in place by cement or the like. This serves to hold the duralumin sleeve properly spaced concentric' to the shaft.l

The bushing or sleeve 5 being of relatively soft. vulcanized rubber has the capacity for torsionaldistortion and a.. permanently inherent quality for returning to initial or normal position and being relatively short and carried by the reduced end ofthe plug, can be readily -forced into position withinv the end of the shaft.

By providing plugs having reduced portions of different diameters and ferrules of correspondingly different thickness, clubs maybe (provided having hand grips with varying egrees of'torsional resistance without any change in the shafts and sleeves which may be of uniform stock size, or the same results canbe secured by providing plugs having reduced por/tions of different lengths and bushings correspondin thereto.

Instead of having the plug o? tubular form it maybe made of cylindrical or bushg ing form as indicated at 3x, Fig. 5 having its outer end riveted or otherwise secured to the end of the hand gripV sleeve 2x which may have an internal annular .flange to fit the exterior of the plug member as shown. In this form the torsion member may be in the shape ofa plug 5" having one end secured within the member 3 and its other end secured within the `outer end of the shaft designated 1x.

.Having thus described. my invention, what y k I claim is:

1. A golf club shaft comprisin a. tubular shaft member, A an encircling and' grip sleeve, a lug secured to the end .of the sleeve an having a portion within the shaft end spaced from the inner wall thereof, and. a member of torsionally distortable material located in the space between the Vshaft and ug portion therein.

2. The art'c e of claim 1 inwhich the plug has a cylindrical portion fitting the end of the sleeve and a' reduced cylindrical -sleeve is of somewhat larger diameter than the shaftk and provided with centering means at or adjacent its inner end for holding the shaft concentrically in the sleeve.

4. The article of claim 1 in which the centering means comprises a sleeve of resilient material.

5. A golfclub Shaft comprising a tubular shaft member, an encircling hand grip sleeve, a plug member secured to the end of the sleeve, and a member of torsionally distortable material connecting said plug member and the end of the shaft.

6. In combination, a tubular metal golf club shaft, a tubular overlying grip mem- *l ber, and a member of torsionally distortable material connecting the upper \ends ofthe shaftand grip members, the main portions of the shaft and grip members being unconnected.,A there being centering means interposed between the shaft and sleeve at the v inner end of the latter.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

WILLIAM F. REACH. 

